1976 BYU Hall of Fame

1951 was a momentous year for Mel Hutchins. He played on BYU’s NIT championship team and was also chosen to play in the NIT all-star game and voted its most valuable player. The Helms Athletic Foundation chose him for the All-American collegiate basketball team that same year.

In 1951 he became the NBA’s number-one draft choice, and in his first year of professional basketball he was chosen as rookie of the year. He played professional basketball for seven years in the NBA and was selected to the All-Star Team five times.

In his four years at BYU his team won the conference championship three times and won the 1951 NIT Championship and finished fourth place in the 1951 NCAA Tournament. While playing with the Fort Wayne Pistons of the NBA, his team won the Western Division title three times.

Mel also gained recognition in amateur golf in northern California and participated in water ski meets.

• Averaged 6.5 points per game as a sophomore on a team that won the Skyline Conference with a record of 8-2

• Averaged 11.8 points as a junior
• Returned to the Cougars after taking a year off to play for the Twentieth Century Fox team
• Named All-Skyline Conference
• Named second team All-NCAA tournament
• Earned first-team all-conference honors
• Helped BYU win the Skyline Conference regular season with a record of 14-6

Summary from the 1949-50 Media Guide

A member of Brigham Young's conference champion squad of two years ago, "Hutch" returns to the Provo campus this year to resume his education. Big Mel can't be overlooked as one of the nation's really-great hoopsters. He amazed local fans with his court antics when he came to Salt Lake City to play for the 20th century Fox squad and outscored, outfought, and outplayed the country s best. Mel is a great rebound man and a good shot from under the basket or far out. He will add to the Cougars what they lacked last year-height. His uncanny ability at back­ward shots and otherwise unorthodox handling of the ball make this 6'5" junior a hit with the fans and the envy of opponents. He may look lazy, but watch him unwind when he wants to get some­place in a hurry! 

• Averaged 15.4 points and 12.7 rebounds his senior season as the Cougars won the NIT championship
• Set the BYU single-season record for rebounds with 471, a record that still stands today
• Named All America by Look Magazine (1st), UPI (3rd), Converse (1st), Helms (1st), and Sporting News (1st)
• Named MVP of the 1951 East-West College All-Star Game
• Earned All-NIT and second-team All-NCAA honors
• Earned first-team all-conference honors
• A co-captain for the Skyline Conference regular season champions

Summary from the 1950-51 Media Guide

"The Big Elf," as he is affectionately known, won all-conference center honors an every Skyline poll and was elected to the second team of the Western all-NCAA playoffs. Big Mel lettered with the conference champions three years ego as a sophomore, then he dropped out to play an amateur season with the 20th Century Fox quint. The experience did him good and he returned last year to bolster another championship BYU team. Sometimes he appears to loaf on the court·, but he can pour on the steam when the occasion calls. The change of pace is deceiving to the op­position. He has outfought and outscored the country's best and never fails to amaze the fans with his court antics and unorthodox ball handling. His, height and long arms serve to make him one of the best rebound men in the country. He has been listed and pictured by several national magazines this fall as all-American. This should be his great year. 

• Redshirted